Suction operated hair curling apparatus



Oct.. 26, 1965 J. P. ynELLo SUCTION OPERATED HAIR CURLING APPARATUS Filed May 9, 1962 0 D 0 0 vom United States Patent Ollice 3,213,861 Patented Oct. 26, 1965 3,213,861 SUCTION (PPERATED HAIR CURLING APPARATUS John I. Vitello, Mount Rainier, Md., assigner to The Gillette Company, Boston, Mass., a corporation of Delaware Filed May 9, 1962, Ser. No. 193,451 14 Claims. (Cl. 132-33) This invention relates to hair curling under differential air pressure and more particularly provides a novel hair curler and novel means for utilizing the curler uniformly to coil and retain in uniformly coiled form a hair tress packed therein by an air stream suitable for imparting thereto a permanent wave or a temporary `set as may be desired.

It has been found that a hair tress may be sucked into and so packed in a curler having the form of a suitably air permeable receptacle by means of a stream of air constrained to move in a path into and through the curler. This procedure has great advantages over lmanual Winding procedures, not only because it eliminates the laborious task of rod winding tresses, but also because it makes possible the elimination `of the tress-separation or blocking operation which normally precedes waving or, in some cases, setting. Other advantages are greatly increased speed for forming of the convolutions, elimination of end papers to provide greatly increased openness ot the packed air tress, and removal of some of the moisture from a wet hair tress by the air stream to facilitate uniform penetration of the tress by subsequently applied lotions, as in waving, for example.

There is a serious problem, however, particularly as to setting, since the convolutions of the tress may be formed and packed by the air stream in a haphazard or random manner, which, although suitable for waving in most situations, is not generally satisfactory for setting, because the resulting curls will also be haphazard or random and so will be thought to be unattractive by many women.

Accordingly, it is a major `object of the present invention to provide means for exercising control over air coiling of hair tresses, such that desirably uniform tress coils may be produced.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel hair curler which embodies such means.

Still another object of the invention is to provide novel means for utilizing air permeable curlers to form uniformly coiled tresses by means 'of a stream `of air constrained to move in a path into and through the curler.

The present invention involves the surprising discovery that the cooperation between the air stream, the air permeable curler and the hair tress itself to pack the hair tress into the receptacle in haphazard convolutions may be modified to produce uniform coils within the curler simply by providing an axially extending shaft extending centrally through the curler. Although the precise reason for this unique effect is not at all clear, and we do not wish to be bound by this explanation, ap* parently the provision of the central shaft in a permeable curler of suitably small dimensions prevents coil reversal during the packing of the hair tress int-o the receptacle and enables a hair tress to form uniform coils, all of the same direction of rotation and all having their centers generally along the axis of the curler and shaft, the coils being closely packed into the annular space between the shaft and inner wall of the curler receptacle. The coils so provided are of such uniformity as to be highly desirable for waving and especially for setting.

In general, the invention includes a hair curling device comprising a tubular guide member adapted to be connected to a source of suction to draw a stream of air therethrough. The guide member includes means for removably maintaining a perforate hair curling receptacle member with a hair tress access opening in position in said air stream to receive through its opening a hair tress entrained by said air stream, with one of said members having a centrally disposed shaft extending axially through said curling receptacle member to a position adjacent the inlet end of said receptacle member. This novel structure, especially upon imparting to it a circular motion upon introducing into it the air-borne tress to be curled, ensures uniform and unidirectional coiling of the tress about the shaft as an axis.

Other and further objects of the invention will become apparent from the drawings and from the description of preferred embodiments thereof which follows:

In the drawings:

FIG. l is an isometric view showing o-ne embodiment of a curler of the present invention on an enlarged scale;

FIG. 2 is a view in section of a device for utilizing the curler in uniformly coiling a hair tress showing the operation of coiling the tress around the shaft within the curler upon the head and also showing one mode of fastening the curler;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the device of FIG. 2 taken on the line 3-3 thereof;

FiG. 4 is an isometric view showing another embodiment of a curler `of the invention, and

FIG. 5 is a view in elevation showing the device of FIG. 2 in combination with a pump for producing an air stream.

Referring to the drawings, especially FIGS. l through 3 thereof, there is shown one embodiment of the curler of the invention having a tubular, generally cylindrical wall 10 and a flat, circular end closure 12 with a central circular opening 11 therein, the 'opposite end being `open and forming a mouth for receiving the tress. Desirably, the curler may be formed by molding as a single, integral one-piece unit of a synthetic plastic composition which may be either rigid or flexible and resilient and which Should be resistant to chemicals present in the tress in a permanent Waving or temporary setting operation. Suitable plastic compositions are, for example, polyethylene, polypropylene, rubber, vinyl resins, nylon, Dacron, Teflon. However, the curler may be formed by interweaving monofilaments or threads or staple ber yarns of any suitable materials or corrosion-resistant metal wire and the like. The curler may also be formed from sheets of unwoven, bonded brous material of sutlicient porosity.

Wall 10 and preferably also end closure `12 are porous, the apertures 14 therein, as shown being provided by the spacing between intersecting longitudinal land transverse ribs 15 and 15', respectively, which form a cagelike receptacle having Ireticulate or retiform walls. For effective utilization of the curler as hereinafter described, the apertures 14 should, as shown, be closely spaced and distributed substantially from end to end of at least a major portion of the side wall 10. The size of the individual apertures 14 may be uniform throughout the wall and end closure, or it may vary from one part to another and may preferably be less in the end closure than in the longitudinal or side Wall 10. The dimensions of these apertures should be suiicient to allow free air flow through them, but not so great as to cause hair ends forced angularly against the inner face of the wall or enclosure to catch in them or escape through them or to permit bulging therethrough of a hair tress cbiled -against said face. Desirably, the total area of apertures 14 may be from about 15% to about 90%, preferably from 40% to 60%, of the total area of the wall and end closure.

FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate means and methods by which the invention may be utilized tol coil hair with the aid of an air current. To this end there is provide an impervious tubular guide member 16 which frictionally rerecives a second impervious tubular guide member 1S in its outer end, the guide 18 having an inwardly extending lip 20 providing a reduced opening which closely surrounds a curler inserted therein. A plurality of inwardly projecting circumferentially spaced supporting elements 22 are provided in tubular guide member 16 spaced inwardly from the outer end thereof to provide a support for the bottom of the curler, thus serving as Vmeans for removably maintaining the curler receptacle in the air stream, and to support an axially extending imperforate shaft 23 which extends centr-ally through opening 11 in the end of the curler with its somewhat rounded free end adjacent to and slightly beyond the open mouth of the curler. Tubular guide member 18 is adjusted longitudinally of the tubular guide member 16 so that its imperforate lip 20 is approximately in the plane of, or slightly below, the mouth end of the curler, the latter having its opposite end resting on members 22 and having its side wall 10 spaced from the inner face of the wall of tubular guide members 16 and 18 so that the openings '14 in its side wall and end closure are substantially unobstructed. A strong air current flowing into the open ends of the tubular guide member 18 and the curler is provided by connecting tubular guide member 16 to a suitable source of suction such as pump 50 (FIG. by means of a fitting 24 and hose 25.

In using the device of FIGS. 2 and 3, the end of tubular guide member 16 containing member 18, shaft 2-3 and the curler is advanced, when the suction device is turned on, toward the hair (which is preferably wet or damp, although it may be dry) while imparting to the open end -a circular motion, either clockwise or counterclockwise, depending upon the direction in which it is desired that the hair tress be curled. This circular movement, in a circular path having a diameter about the same as the maximum t-ransverse dimension of the curler, or somewhat less, insures that the tress portions rst sucked into the curler will be laid down in -a coil in the desired direction, with subsequent coils overlapping the first coil being prevented from reversing direction by the presence of the central shaft. By this procedure, uniform curls of the desired direction are invariably obtained, so that, especially with setting, the direction of curl of a row of tresses across a head can be accurately controlled. Consequently, when the hair is combed and styled, the undulations or curl pattern of each 'tress will t in with that of other tresses, to give a smooth linished hair style. In this way, large sections of a womans hair give the desired appearance of being curled as large single masses.

Again, especially for setting, it is important that the curls produced be of uniform size, that is, diameter. This has been found to be determined mainly by the diameter of the curler employed, which, for setting, may be of the order of one or two inches to provide uniform diameter coils of a diameter somewhat less than that of the curler, as hereinafter more fully discussed.

When the hair tress is completely coiled within the curler, the suction may be turned otf, if desired, and the curler with its tress is withdrawn or ejected from the end of tubular guide member 18 and clamped to the hair tress adjacent its mouth end by a suitable clamping device, such as hairpins or bobby pins 26, as illustrated in FIG. 2. The tress is now held in a configuration to receive a permanent wave or temporary set. The process is repeated until the entire head of hair has been enclosed in the curlers.

It is important in the proper functioning of the device that the mouth end of the curler and the inlet opening of the 'tubular guide connection to the suction device be so co-related that substantially all of the air entering the inlet opening passes into the mouth of the curler. In the embodiment of FIG. 2, this is accomplished by dimensioning the opening within lip 20 to closely surround the curler and by adjusting member 18 lon-gitudinally so that substantially none of the porous portion of the curler wall projects outwardly beyond lip 20. Under these circumstances, we have found that air current of adequate velocity flowing into the curler acts to gather -a tress into a tight strand or rope and to feed it smoothly into the curler to for-m uniform coils about the center shaft.

Where curlers of different inner` diameters are to be employed, as may often be desirable, a plurality of the guide members 18 may be provided, with the diameter of the aperture formed within lip 20 graduated accordingly, or the lip 20 may be made in sections, laterally inwardly and outwardly adjustable.

The apparatus when used as described above, automatically selects the correct'amount of hair lfor the tress and thus dispenses with the tedious blocking and sectioning steps which have normally preceded winding in the prior art. In such operation the device and the suction turned on is brought with the curler-containing open inlet end of the tubular guide member into proximity to the hair in an area of the head in which a curl is to be produced. A tress of hair of the desired mass is automatically selected and drawn into and coiled in the curler by the air stream. The process is repeated with another curler inserted in the suction device until all desired curls have been formed and fastened in the curlers. This automatic tress forming is particularly effective and accurate when the hair is wet, apparently because the hair in the zone influenced by the air stream tends to stick together and be fed in a smooth, rope-like body into the open mouth of the curler.

In FIG. 4 is illustrated another embodiment of the curler of the invention in which the apertured closure wall 30 of the curler is provided with an integral central axially-extending, hollow shaft 32, which, for comfort in use, preferably has its free end within the mouth of the curler. Perforations 34 may be provided in the walls of said shaft for air flow therethrough and through the open inner end thereof, the free end being closed. With this structure, the shaft 23 is omitted from the supporting structure as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, which is otherwise identical. Operation is the same as is set forth above, except that tress portions are adhered to the shaft 32 by air flow through perforations 34.

The invention as used in the manner described offers new possibilities as to waving as well as setting and mitigates certain restrictions which attend waving by means of curlers in their hereto-fore known forms. This is because of the uniform nature of the coils which can be provided, which coils are automatically of a uniform direction and diameter within a single curler, and may be quickly and easily laid down in each curler in the desired direction of coil by the simple manipulative procedures described above. Furthermore, the curlers of the invention can produce curls of uniform diameter throughout tresses `of virtually any length, provided the length of the curler is sufcient. By varying the transverse dimension of the curlers, curls of almost any diameter can be produced, and, if desired, the curl diameter may be varied throughout the length of the tress by varying the cross sectional dimension of the curler along its length. Numerous curler shapes may be used, for example, a frusto-conical curler having its mouth at the larger diameter end produces curls having smaller diameters nearer tothe ends of the tress, while an enlarged, or bulbous or spherical section between the ends of the curler will produce a tress having larger curls .intermediate its ends.

As will be appreciated, the hair curlers of this invention are useful not only in the setting of hair into the desired ultimate conguration, but also in permanent waving. In such case, the tress usually treated with water, may be treated with waving lotion in the conventional manner. The application of waving lotion may precede or follow the coiling of the tress, or the waving lotion may be `applied both before and after the coiling of the tress, the porosity of the curler permitting free penetration of the waving lotion to the tress when it is applied after the tresses coiled in the curlers have been removed from the suction apparatus. Also, a suitable neutralizing solution may be applied to the coiled tresses through the porous curlers.

Desirably the curlers of this invention are flexible for the comfort of the wearer, particularly in overnight waving or setting processes. However, the curlers may be rigid and substantially non-deformable if desired.

The dimensions of the curlers are variable over considerable ranges, depending upon a number of factors. The diameter of the curler mouth is related to the width or diameter of the hair tress which it is desired to treat in the curler. For a hair tress of given size there is a corresponding minimum diameter which the curler mouth ought to have in order to pass the tress properly therethrough. Where the air stream device is used for tress forming or selection, the diameter of the curler mouth should not greatly exceed the minimum for the tress size which it is desired to form. The curler body diameter and length are related to one another, to curler shape, and to the length and size of tress which the curler is designed to receive. They should provide a volume such that the desired tress length can be rmly coiled and packed therein by the air flow. If the curler is too short or too small to receive the entire length of tress, it will nevertheless function normally as respects the length that can be coiled therein. On the other hand, if the curler be somewhat too long, the consequence is to decrease the tightness of the coiled tress contained therein. Nevertheless, a single size of curler can be used for a considerable range of tress lengths and sizes. Preferably, a set of curlers of varying sizes will be used on a single head of hair to accommodate the varying length of hair on diiferent part of the head.

Diameter of the curler body is important since it controls tightness of the coil and the extent of permanent or temporary curl obtained. Here again there is a relation to the size of the tress to be treated. For a 3- to 6-inch long, about 3-gram tress, which may be taken as a usual tress size for the main part of the head of hair, it has been found that for setting, curler transverse dimensions may be of the order of an inch or two in order that coils of slightly smaller diameter than that of the curler body may be produced. Curlers of smaller diameters may be used for producing a permanent wave comparable to what is considered a medium to tight wave in rod waving and which is substantially uniform throughout the tress length, the optimum curler dimensions being of the order of 5/s-inch diameter for the curler mouth and body, with a curler length of about 1 inch. By employing an end closure of diminishing diameter, a tighter end curl may be obtained. By varying the curler diameter, curls of varying tightness may be obtained along the length of the tress.

In general, for obtaining on such tresses the full range of curl diameters which are desirable in permanent wav- :ing today, the diameter of the curler may range up to, but should not substantially exceed, about 11/2 inches and should not be less than 1A: inch. Curl diameters which are desired for temporary set may be somewhat larger and for this purpose the curler diameter range for results acceptable to most women may be from about 3%: inch to about 21/2 inches.

For shorter hair lengths and for end curling, shorter curler lengths are desirable, with the minimum about 1A inch. To facilitate use of our device as a tress-selecting means, with curlers of large body diameter it may be desirable to make the mouth of the curler of a smaller 6 diameter than that of the body to limit the size of the tresses selected. With curlers of small diameter, it may be desirable to enlarge the mouth to facilitate entrance of the tress between the curler wall and the central shaft.

The diameter of the fixed central shaft will ordinarily be small in comparison to that of the curler, of the order of ls inch or less. Desirably, its diameter should not be so great as unduly to narrow the space between it and the surrounding curler wall, so that the tress has to be jammed tightly between them. The shaft should be longitudinally smooth so that the hair does not catch thereon, but may be hollow with an open inner base end and include perforations so that air may be passed therethrough to so hold portions of a hair tress thereagainst by the suction provided. It may be of round or other cross-sectional shape and desirably is tapered at its outer end. It should be sufficiently rigid and so associated with the curler body that it maintains approximately its axial position under use conditions.

Generally, the curler mouth diameter will be equal to or less than the curler length. Normally, also, the curler length will not exceed about 21/2 inches, but substantially longer curlers may be employed where unusually long tresses are to be waved. Preferably, the cross-sectional shape of the interior of the curler body is substantially a circle or regular polygon.

It is important in order to obtain best results that the side wall or walls of the curler be at least in major part spaced from the wall of tubular guide members 16, 18 in order to permit free ow of air through the apertures in the wall.

Our air coiling method requires an air stream of considerable velocity, feet per second being about a minimum at the beginning of the coiling operation. We prefer a velocity of about 200 feet per second. Pumping equipment capable of producing such velocity may comprise, for example, a oneor two-stage radial or mixed ilow vaned impeller of a diameter between 4 and 6 inches driven by a universal type A.C. electric motor. This motor may require up to 1000 watts input and operates between 10,000 and 20,000 r.p.m.

Although specific embodiments of the invention have been described herein, it is not intended to limit the invention solely thereto, but to include all of the obvious variations and modifications within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A hair curling device comprising the combination of a tubular guide member adapted to be connected to a source of suction to draw a stream of air therethrough and a hair curling receptacle member having a mouth through which a hair tress may be passed and a perforate side Wall through which air may freely ow, said guide member including means for removably maintaining said receptacle member in said tubular guide member to receive through its said mouth a hair tress entrained by said air stream and to permit air of said stream to flow through the perforations thereof to said source of suction, one of said members having a centrally disposed non-rotatable shaft extending axially through said curling receptacle member to adjacent the mouth thereof.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said shaft extends outwardly beyond the mouth of said receptacle member.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said shaft is mounted on said guide member, said receptacle member having a central bottom opening through which said shaft passes.

4. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said shaft is mounted generally centrally of one end of said receptacle member.

5. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said shaft is impervious to the flow of air therethrough out of said receptacle member.

6. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said shaft is pervious to the iiow of air therethrough.

7. A hair curling device comprising the combination of a tubular guide member adapted to be connected to a source of suction to draw a stream of air therethrough and a hair curling receptacle member having a mouth through which a hair tress may be passed and a perforate side wall through which air may freely ow, said guide member including means for removably maintaining said receptacle member in said tubular guide member to receive through its said mouth a hair tress entrained by said air stream and to permit air of said stream to flow through the perforations thereof to said source of suction, one of said members having a centrally disposed shaft extending axially through said curling receptacle member to adjacent the mouth thereof and being impervious to the flow of air therethrough out of said receptacle member.

8. A device as claimed in claim 7 wherein said shaft is fixed.

9. A device as claimed in claim 7 wherein said shaft is mounted on said guide member, said receptacle member having a central bottom opening through which said shaft passes.

10. A device as claimed in claim 7 wherein said shaft is mounted generally centrally of 'one end of said receptacle member.

' 11. A hair curling device comprising the combination of a tubular guide member adapted to be connected to a source of suction to draw a stream of air therethrough and a hair curling receptacle member having a mouth through which a hair tress may be passed and a perfo? rate side Wall through which air may freely flow, said guide member including means for removably maintaining said receptacle member in said tubular guide member to receive through its said mouth a hair tress entrained by said air ,stream and to permit air of said stream to iiow through the perforations thereof to said source of suction, one of said members having a perforated centrally disposed fixed shaft extending axially through said curling receptacle member to adjacent the mouth thereof, said shaft being pervious to the flow of air therethrough out of said receptacle member to hold portions of said hair tress thereagainst by -said flow of air through said shaft.

12. A device as claimed in claim 11 wherein said shaft is hollow with an open inner end and a closed free end, with perforations through the Wall thereof.

13. A device as claimed in claim 11 wherein said shaft is mounted on said guide member, said receptacle meniber having a central bottom opening through which said shaft passes.

14. A device as claimed in claim 11 wherein said shaft is mounted generally centrally of one end of said receptacle member.

References Cited by the Examiner FOREIGN PATENTS 38,834 6/28 Denmark.

RICHARD A. GAUDET, Primary Examiner. 

1. A HAIR CURLING DEVICE COMPRISING THE COMBINATION OF A TUBULAR GUIDE MEMBER ADAPTED TO BE CONNECTED TO A SOURCE OF SUCTION TO DRAW A STREAM OF AIR THERETHROUGH AND A HAIR CURLING RECEPTACLE MEMBER HAVING A MOUTH THROUGH WHICH A HAIR TRESS MAY BE PASSED AND A PERFORATE SIDE WALL THROUGH WHICH AIR MAY FREELY FLOW, SAID GUIDE MEMBER INCLUDING MEANS FOR REMOVABLY MAINTAINING SAID RECEPTACLE MEMBER IN SAID TUBULAR GUIDE MEMBER TO RECEIVE THROUGH ITS SAID MOUTH A HAIR TRESS ENTRAINED BY SAID AIR STREAM AND TO PERMIT AIR OF SAID STREAM TO FLOW THROUGH THE PERFORATIONS THEREOF TO SAID SOURCE OF SUCTION, ONE OF SAID MEMBERS HAVING A CENTRALLY DISPOSED NON-ROTATABLE SHAFT EXTENDING AXIALLY THROUGH SAID CURLING RECEPTACLE MEMBER TO ADJACENT THE MOUTH THEREOF. 